After a rainy start to the year, Summer is positively set to make up for the wet year we’ve had so far. The Met Office has predicted that Summer 2023 will be hotter than 2022.
Whilst this might be great for our sunbathing and BBQ’s, it’s not so great for our lawns.
The ever-changing weather patterns of the UK can cause our grass to become stressed, so we must ensure we take extra care of our lawns during warm temperatures.
Here’s GreenThumb’s top tips to care for your lawn in the lead up to Summer.
Mowing
Before mowing, ensure your blades are sharp. Mowing with a dull blade will roughly rip through your grass, meaning it will begin to pull the grass up by the roots rather than trimming it – creating some ugly patches in your lawn. Read more here: Sharpen your lawn mower blades – GreenThumb
Mow regularly. If possible, at least once a week. Mowing frequently encourages the grass to grow thicker, creating a lush, dense lawn. It also blocks out weeds and makes the lawn more resilient.
Before we get dry weather, increase the height of the cut up to 50mm (2’’). This allows the grass to retain moisture to stop it from drying out too quickly. If the grass is dry and not growing, do not mow it. If there is some growth or it looks unsightly with tufts of growth here and there, then only trim the tops of the leaf.
Watering
In periods of dry weather, your lawn will thank you for a drink. It’s important we conserve water were possible so watering earlier in the morning or later in the evening are the best times. Water in short intervals to avoid runoff, this could for 15-20 minutes each time.
Our Oasis treatments is GreenThumb’s solution to helping your soil make the very best use of any available moisture, whether it’s rain, recycled water or even morning dew. It improves the colour and quality of your grass, whilst reducing the need to water by up to 80%. You can read more here: Oasis Water Conserver – GreenThumb
Lawn Treatments
Throughout the year, we apply specially coated fertilisers that will help protect your lawn during dry conditions. We are currently applying our Summer Ready treatment to your lawns. This treatment is essential for a thicker, greener lawn, giving your lawn a timed release of nutrition for up to 10 weeks.
At this time of year, the more persistent weeds present themselves. It’s impossible to keep your lawn completed weed free. However, your Lawn Operative will target spray these weeds to help control them.
Find out more here: NutraGreen Summer Ready – GreenThumb
Lawn Disease
With the increase in humidity, you may notice Red Thread in your lawn. Red Thread can look like:
- Reddish/brown patches of decaying grass
- Fine red needles protruding from the blades of grass.
- Pink/reddish candy-floss like particles around the base of the leaf
- Infected blades mixed with healthy blades giving the lawn a ragged appearance.
Generally, if our customers are receiving their regular fertiliser treatments this reduces the incidence of it. However, if Red Thread does occur, we can treat it at the same time as we apply the scheduled NutraGreen treatments to your lawn. This will ensure that your lawn has the best chance of recovery.
Lawn Disease Management is included in our Ultimate programme but is available as an added extra to any of our customers on our Standard or Basic programme.
Lawn Pests
Soon we will be at the optimal time to treat Chafer Grubs. If left alone, Chafer Grubs can cause significant damage to your lawn. The first sign will be your lawn losing colour, usually seen in patches rather than all over the lawn. If you pull at your lawn and it lifts easily from the soil, even splitting the turf, you may see grubs near the surface. This likely means that you have an infestation and need our Pest Management Treatment. You can read more here: Lawn Pest Management Treatment – GreenThumb
Top tip: Although grass is resilient, it can become damaged if an area is continually used. We just recommend you move these items every so often to give your lawn chance to breathe.